Automatic train control



1,681,013 0. A. Rose AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL Ailg. 14, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec'. 28.

Aug. 14, 1928.. 1,681,013 o. A-. ROSS AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL Filed Dec.28 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

OSCAR AB THUR ROSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL RAILWAYSIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL.

ApplicationfiledDecember 28, 1921. Serial No. 525,508.

. My invention relates more particularly to lpparatus to be applied toinductive forms of automatic train control, as, forexample, is disclosedin my prior Patent #1,399,796 dated'Dec. 13, 1921, and has for its moreprominent object the production of simpler, more economical and ruggeddevices. Another object of my invention is to produce apparatus whichwill not'occupy space other than that ordinarilyoccupied on the trackway of a rail road. a Anotherobject is to provide means to detect theabsence, or misplaeement of any of the apparatus employed. v

Another object is to provide suitable attachment of the track member tothe rails whereby the creeping or other movement of the rails will notinterfere with the proper functioningof thedevices employed.

Whereas it is obvious that those skilled in the art may makemodifications not departing from the spirit of my invention, I haveshown my preferred form in the accompanying drawings,in which Fig. 1,isa part plan,

part sectional view ofniy invention as applied to a track way andayehicle; F'g. 2, a part plan, part sectional view taken on line D-D ofFig. 1; Fig. 3, is also a part plan, part sectional view taken on lineEf-E,

of Fig. 1; Fig.4, is :a plan view taken on .1

line FF of Fig. 1;. Fig; 5, is an enlarged plan view of part of themagnet coreof the track element; Fig. 6, is taken on line G-G of Fig. 5,and Fig. 7, on line I-I-H of Fig. 5. Fig, 8, is a more detailed planview of the magnet core of the vehicle element and Fig. .9, is a planview on; the line J-J of p 8. Referring in detail to the various figuresin which like numerals refer to like ferences in the several drawings, Zis the track element comprising magnet core 1, on which is mountedmagnet coil 2,11avingleads 33, clamped to external leads k1, byconnectors .55. External leads 1-& enter throughconduit 6, secured toplate 7, suitably secured to end block 8, oftrack element Z. Magnet core11, and its coil 2, are, with the exception of coreends 9-4), completelyhoused by top and bottom plates 10 and 11, side plates 12 and 13,and'end blocks 8 and 14, all of which are held together by suitablebolts and screws, as 15-15. ,The magnet core 1, and coil 2, are not onlylocated and braced by the core ends '9-9, passing through top plate 10,but 1616, and 1717. All the plates and blocks forming the housing andbraces for core 1, are of non-magnetic material.

To facilitate making connections to leads 33 of coil 2, a compartment20, formed byblocks 18 18, 19, and top and bottom plates 10, and 11,isprovided, a hole 21, fitted with a-cover 22, being also providedthrough which suitable tools may be inserted for making connections.

.Track member Z is preferably designed to take up the space usuallyoccupied by a railroad tie and is placed under the rails 24:-24, thecore ends 9 9 pressing firmly against the under sides of said rails, butelectrically insulated. therefron'l, by 1nsulations 25 25. The firmpressure of core ends 99, against the bottom of rails 247-2 1,

is obtained through springs .26, seated in yokes 27, which yokes aresecured to rails 22t, by clamps 2828, said clampsbeing also by blocksarranged so that when bolts 29-29, are

tightened, the track rail 2%, yoke 27, and

clamps 28 28 become a solid member actmg as a saddle on each rail, inwhich member Z 1s held through spr ngs ,2626, the

upper ends of which impinge on the plates.

30 secured to the bottom plate 11,

To economically produce the magnet core v the laminations thereof areassembled as shown byFigs. 5, ,6, and 7, each of the alternate.laminations 32, abutting the end laminations 3 k; and end laminations33, abutting laminations 31.

y The vehicle element Y,con1pr1ses magnet core 40, havingdetachable coreends 41-41, onv which are n'iounted magnet coils 4-.242, having leads 4313, connected at 44, and leads l5al5 connected to any well known plugconnector 16, the removable portion 1", separatingon lineC-C.Saidremovable portion .47, forms the terminus of conduit 18, clamped toengine frames 49, by bracket 50, clamp 51', and bolts 52. Vehicle-1nagnet core 10, and coils 42-42, with the exception of core ends53*53, are also entirely housed by top and bottom plates 54 and 55, sideplates56-56 and end blocks 5757. 'T he protrusion of core ends islimited by the extensions 5858, see Fig. 9) of core ends 41.

i All the space within members Y and Z,

not occupied by essential parts, is filled with fill insulating compound60, through apertures (39-69. This does not apply to compartments and59. For the purpose of illustrating the several parts clearly thiscompound is assumed to be transparent.

Vehicle element Y is suspended from the vehicle, 01 which frame ilk-'19forms a part, by the wash board brackets 6161, secured to said frame bybolts (i2(i2 passing through bracket (51, and plate 63, said brackethaving serrated faces 6 1 meshing with corresponding serrated faces onbracket 65, attached to vehicle member Y, by bolts 6666. The purpose ofserrated faces G l is to give adjustment to air-gaps 67-GT between thetop of rails 2l2'-t and core ends 5353 and is accomplished by theremoval and replacing of bolts (i8(38.

Vehicle X, is assumed to be travelling in the direction of arrow B.

In Fig. 5, the laminations are drawn much thicker than ordinarilyemployed in practice so as to clearly indicate their assembly. Thelaminations 31, 32, 33, 34, are clamped into a unit forming core 1, byplates 7373 and bolts Tel-74, the nut of one of which is electricallyinsulated in any well known manner to prevent eddy currents as the fluxsurges through magnet core 1, when the vehicle element Y passes over it,and assuming that coil 2, is energized.

An important part of my invention is the location of coils 4212 onvehicle member Y. I have discovered that, to generate a maximum ofcurrent in the coils 42-42, with a minimum of current in the track coil2, as the vehicle X passes over the track element Z, the coils 42-4E2should be placed as close to the extremities of the magnet core ends aspractical construction will permit. If the coils are located on the axleof the vehicle as shown in my prior patent above referred to a largemagnetizing current is required in coil 2, due to the eddy currents setup in the axle which is of solid metal, and therefore, to those skilledin the art, is known to produce large eddy currents as the magnetic fluxpasses through it.

I have also discovered that due to vibration from passing vehicles thetrack element Z cannot be rigidly secured to the rails 21*24, for if sosecured, the creeping and other movement of the rails will soon work itloose, causing poor magnetic contact with the rails. As the trackcircuit is the well known basis for operating automatic train control orother form of signalling, it is obvious that the magnetic core 1, cannotbe welded thereto, as it would cause a short circuit.

Since in any inductive system, as for example as is disclosed in myprior patent above mentioned, it is necessary to check the presence ofthe vehicle member Y, I have provided the plug connection 46, one halfof which is attached to member Y, and the other half to the vehicle X,through conduit 48 and bracket 50. Should any object on the right of wayof the vehicle X, strike member or element Y, it would be moved in thedirection indicated by the arrows i k-11, thereby causing coupling 16,to separate from its mating member 47, in this manner opening thecircuit to coils 42-42. By reference to my prior Patent #1,399,- 796dated Dec. 13, 1921, it will be seen that such an opening, of thecircuit to the vehicle circuit will apply the brakes to the train, orvehicle, and if this occurs when t-rallic conditions ahead arefavorable, the engineers attention is called to the absence, or partialdislocation of member Y.

lVhat I claim is: p

1. In a device of the kind described, a trackway having rails, a vehicleadapted to travel thereon, and an inductive member located on said trackand adapted to influence the movement of said vehicle, in combinationwith means for resiliently locating said inductive member with relationto said rails.

2. In a device of the kind described a trackway having rails, aninductive member located on the trackway, a vehicle adapted to travel onsaid rails, an inductive member carried by said vehicle, and meanscarried by said vehicle and associated with said vehicle inductivemember for effecting the stopping of said vehicle upon dislocation ofsaid vehicle carried inductive member with respect to said vehicle.

3. As a train carried magnetic device, the combination of an elongatedmagnetic body having pole pieces at either end, of a container thereforhaving top and bottom plates, side plates and end plates firmly heldtogether, and completely covering said magnetic body except adjacent thepole faces, and means for adjustably supporting said container on atrain.

4. In an automatic train control device, in combination; a train; amagnetic body having a coil thereon having terminals suspended beneaththe train; a separable two part coupling having the terminals of thecoil connected to one part and controlling wires connected to the otherpart, the line of separation of said coupling being arranged in a planetransverse to the direction of motion of the train, whereby thedislocation of the magnetic body with respect to the train will part thecoupling.

5. In an automatic train control system, the combination with a train;of an inductive influence receiving element consisting of a magneticcore having terminals suspended beneath the train, a coil on said core,a nonmagnetic casing carried by said train for housing said core andcoil, and lead-out wires extending from said coil and through an openingin said casing; and a separable Hit) l Ill) two part coupling having thelead-out wires from said coil connected to one part and having thecontrol wires of the train control system connected to the other part.

6. In car-carried apparatus for automatic train control systems, thecombination with a car, a casing of non-magnetic material supported bysaid car, a core of magnetic material in said casing having its endspro- 1 jec-ting through openings in the wall of said

